06 August 07
FTO
Unveils Code Madeleine
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The federation of Tour Operators (FTO)
expects all of its members to sign up to the new 'Code Madeleine'. Its a
six point plan advising how hotels and apartments should react in the
event of a child being abducted.
The code is based on a similar one used
in American shopping malls since 1981 called Code Adam, was launched at
the weekend in the News Of The World following the disappearance
of thee year old Madeleine McCann in Portugal three months ago.
Already signed up are Virgin Holidays,
Thomson, First Choice, Thomas Cook, Cosmos, MyTravel, British Airways
Holidays, RCI, Inghams and Libra.
FTO spokesman Graham Lancaster said
they were contacted by Madeleine McCann’s father about a week after Mr
Lancaster travelled to the US where he heard about Code Adam.
Code Madeleine is based on that code
but the FTO redrafted it to make it more practicable for hotels and
apartments to use.
Lancaster said it is an attempt to set
in place procedures for the crucial 10 minutes to half an hour after a
child disappears, how to raise the alarm and start a coordinated hunt.
FTO members who sign up to the code will use the code’s logo.
Director general of the FTO Andy Cooper
said: “We’re pleased to have helped develop Code Madeleine and hope
it will bring added reassurance to our millions of family customers.”
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